Cattle are frequently accommodated indoors using cubicle (also referred to as stalls or pens; the term “cubicles” will be used herein). One common design of a cubicle has a common head barrier or wall with parallel dividers projecting out to define individual spaces for animals between a pair of adjacent dividers.
Typical cubicle dividers are a basic U shape made of one piece of steel tubing or pipe bent to make the U shape. The ends of the “U” are mounted to the head end barrier (i.e. with the “U” lying on its side) and with the bottom of the “U” projecting outwards.
A lengthwise head-end rail, known as a neckrail, is tied to the top of the “U” shape by a series of steel neckrail clamp brackets, such that the neckrail runs along the head-end of each row of cubicles. (As used herein the term “head-end” refers to the opposite end of a cubicle to the “open end” into which the animal enters a cubicle.) The neckrail is typically one piece of steel tubing that spans a plurality of cubicles.
The purpose of the neckrail is to ensure that the cubicle bed is kept clean. The cows will not lie down too far forward if the neck rail is positioned correctly and they will also position themselves correctly while standing without dunging on the bedding.
The lying down behaviour of cows requires enough space so that it can be carried out in a normal way. The head and body of a fully developed cow are thrust forward 0.6-0.7 meters during the lying down process. When the cow wants to get up in a natural way it first rises to its knees and afterwards the hind part of its body is swung up via its knees, which function as a rocking point. That is, the cow moves forward, or lunges, as she gets to her feet.
The position of the neckrail, which spans two side tubes of the cubicle, is critical to allow the cow sufficient room when she gets to her feet. The problem with positioning the neckrail to provide lunging space is that too much space can result in the cow simply walking through the cubicle or at least moving too far forward while standing. Too little room and the chances of a cow injuring her head or neck on the neckrail when getting to her feet are greatly increased.
Some efforts have been made to address this problem. For example, flexible neck rails, like coated chains or flexible rubber piping have been provided in place of the typical steel tubing/piping neck rail.
Alternatives to the standard steel neckrail clamp brackets have also been provided. For example, there are currently U Bolt type Coupling systems in use that allow the steel neckrail tubing to move upwards when contacted by a cow's neck or head. That is, when getting to its feet, a cow may push the neckrail upwards within the coupling system. When the cow no longer makes contact with the neckrail, it freefalls back into position causing a load bang which can unsettle the animals.
EP 1 579 760 relates to a cubicle for an animal with a front short side forming the entrance for the animal to the cubicle, with lateral partitions extending at the two long sides of the cubicle, with a rear partition for limiting the animal's movement in the direction of the rear short side of the cubicle, and with a support element for fastening the lateral partitions.
DE 297 02 098 relates to a cubicle separation for stables of livestock, particularly cattle, consisting of an upright, like a wing against the force of a restoring elastic member pivotally mounted frame part with an attached thereto blade.
DE 195 47 372 relates to a partitioning component mounted at one end on a fixed point between two stalls and clear of the floor for a distance equal to between one-third and two-thirds of the height of a cow.
WO 01/44671 relates to a one-piece, unitary clamp for a longitudinally extending structural member, such as a tube, is provided which can be mounted to a mounting surface such that the structural member received in the clamp is either parallel to or perpendicular to the mounting surface.
DE 91 00 405 relates to cubicles for cows consisting of separating frame and transverse to these extending header tubes, spring guards and movable neck tie tubes.